Chicken-brooder



v (No Model.) I

J. D. WINGERT.

CHICKEN BROODER.

No. 389,428. Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

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UNITE TATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN D. XVINGERT, OF FAYETTEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHlCKEN-BROODER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,428, dated September 11, 1888.

Application filed June 2, 1888. Serial No. 275,891.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN D. WINGERT, of Fayetteville, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chicken-Brooders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in chieken-brooders; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section on the line 3 y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line a" 0:, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view, partly in section, of the heat-distributing apparatus.

The brooder consists of a rectangular box, which is bottomless and rests on the ground. This box is divided into two compartments, A and B, by a transverse partition, C, which reaches two-thirds of the height of the boX. The partition is provided in its lower portion with the holes 0, which serve as a means of ventilation between the two compartments A and B. A narrow transverse brace, D, is placed between the side walls at the top near the center of the box above the partition 0. Hinged to the transverse brace is a lid fitted with glass windows,and which covers the front compartment, the top of which slants downward to the front. This brace is also provided with the perforations d, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

As the partition 0 does not reach entirely to the top of the box, a space is left above it. The compartment B is provided with the ledges e on its inner faces, to which is secured a piece of thin sheet metal, F. This sheet of metal is also secured to the top edge of the trans verse partition 0 and forms the top of chamberB. By thisconstruction a brooding-chamber, B, is formed above the plate F, on which the pan J rests, as will be hereinafter described.

Below the sheetmetal plate F, which closes (No model.)

the compartment B tightly, is held in position,by pins or other suitable means, the heatdistributing apparatus, which consists of the base-plate G, made of thin sheet metal or other suitable material and having acentral circular opening, and provided on its upper surface with the ridges which extend partially across it transversely. The upper edges of these ridges are hollowed out in a curve at their centers, said hollowed-out portions ending in the shoulders g.

H is a plate of sheet metal, which is thicker than the plate G. This plate H is placed between the ridge g a slight distance above the plate G, and its ends are bent upward and outward and rest on the shoulders g of the said ridges. Secured to the ridge g, and holding the plate H in place, is the top plate, I. The circular opening in the bottom plate, G, is to receive the chimney of the lamp placed in the lower part of the compartment B, and should be of greater diameter than the lampchimney.

The compartment B is providcd with a small door, I), for convenience in regulating the flame of the lamp. This door has a small opening, I), to serve as a ventilator.

On top of the plate F in the brooding-chamber B is placed the brooding-pan J,in which is placed a thin layer of sand or other suitable material. The chimney of the lamp projects up through the circular opening in the plate G, which is somewhat greater in diameter than the said chimney. The purpose in making the circular opening larger than the chimney is to provide a means of draft for the lamp. All the heat of the lamp is directed against the plate H, which, by reason of its form and superior thickness, deflects the heat in all directions. The portion of the heat deflected toward its ends passes through the curved openings in the ridges g and strikes against the plate F or base of the brooding-chamber. The portion of the heat dellccted toward the sides of the plate H passes upward, strikes the plate I, and is again deflected outward and upward against the plate F. Thus it will be seen that an even distribution of heat is obtained under the plate F, which forms the bottom of the By means of this heat-distributing apparatus a the sand or other material in the pan J may be kept at an even temperature over its "entire surface, thus making it equally pleasant at all points for the young chickens, and thereby avoidingthe crowding of the brood to the warmest spot, as is the case in brooders in which the heat is concentrated at one point.

The front wall of the front compartment or chamber is provided with the entrances e e, and has secured to its inner lower edge on a line with these entrances a sill, e, which extends entirely across the compartment and has a slight upward inclination.

A gang-board, E,is hinged at one end to the upper edge of the partition 0, and rests at its free end on the sill e,thus forming an inclined way for theyoung chickens to pass to and from V the brooding-chamber. Attached to the free end of the gang-board is a cord or chain, f,

which passes through an opening in a cross-' piece, f, secured to the upper edge of the front wall, and isprovided with a knot or handle. By means of this cord or chain the gang-board may be raised when necessary. The hinged cover of the front chamber rests on the cross-piecef. A latch, K, formed of a piece of spring-wire or metal, is fastened at its lower end to the inner face of the front wall and extends upward a short distance, inclining inwardly, and is then bent horizontally forward and passes through an opening in the front wall,and is bent at its outer end to form an eye. In raising the gang-board E it bears against the inclined portion of thelatch K and presses it forward until the said board has reached the shouldered portion of the latch, when the pressure ceases and the latch springs back to its normal position and holds the gang board in a horizontal position in substantially the same plane with the brooding-chamber B.

By raising the board E and holding it in an elevated position rats and other animals will be prevented from gaining an entrance to the brooding-chamber B and injuring the chickens. When it is desired to allow the chickens to leave the brooder, by simply pulling out the latch K the gang-board drops and forms a passage from the brooding-chamber'to the outside through the entrances e e.

The side Walls of the front compartment are provided with the large holes M, through which the brood may enter the front cham ber under the lowered gang-board. It will be seen that by this arrangement the young chickens may be protected from the rays of the sun in summer.

In winter, when it is desirable to secure the aid of the suns rays, the gang-board may be raised and secured, thus forming with the brooding-chamber a continuous upper compartment, in which the young chickens may run at will.

The condition of the brood may be watched through the glass windows in the hinged cover to the front compartment.

The perforations d in the brace D serve as a means of ventilation between the brood-chamber and the front compartment and tend to equalize the temperature of the entire apparatus. The brace D is also provided with a curtain, d, which hangs down in front of the brooding-chamber and prevents the escape of too much heat.

The side and end walls of the brooder are provided with the ventilating-perforations m.

The plates G and I may be made of wood or sheet metal, as desired. When the plate G is made of wood, the central opening, which receives the chimney of the lamp, is fitted with a sheet-metal lining.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The heat distributing apparatus for chicken brooders, consisting of the sheetmetal plate G, having a central opening and provided on its upper surface with the transverse metal ridges extending partially across it, and a thick deflecting-plate resting on said ridges and held in place by an upper sheetmetal plate secured at its ends to the said ridges, substantially as shown and described.

2. The heating apparatus for chickenbrooders, consisting of the top plate, F, secured to the transverse partition 0, and the inner walls of the compartment B, the plate G, having a circular central opening and provided with the transverse ridges 9, said ridges being hollowed out on their upper edges and having the shoulders g, the deflecting plate H, bent upward and outward at its ends and resting on the said shoulders g, and the top plate, I, secured to the ridges g, in combination with the heating-lamp, substantially as shown and described. 7

3. A chicken-brooder consisting of a rectangular box having the transverse partition extending to within a short distance of the top of said box and forming two lower compartments, the plate F, secured to the upper edge of the said partition and to the ledges e, forming the heating-chamber B, the swinging gang-board E, hinged to the upper front edge of the transverse partition, the cord or chain f,

for raising said gang-board to a horizontal position, and means, substantially as described, for holding the gang-board in its horizontal position, whereby a continuous upper chamber is formed, as specified.

4. In a chicken-brooder, the combination, with the compartment A, having the swinging gangboard E, of the brooding-chamber B, thebrace D, provided with the curtain d, and

the ventilatilag-perforations d, and the heatto the partition 0, the cord 01' chain f, for ing-chamber B, substantially as shown and raising the gang -board, and the spring-latch IO described. K, for holding the said gang-board in its raised 5. In a chicken brooder, the combination position, substantially as shown and described. 5 with the heating-chamber B, provided with a JOHN D. \VINGERT.

heat-distributing apparatus, of the front com- \Vitnesses: partment, A, provided with the entrances e e, H. REBER,

and having the swinging gang-board E, hinged GEORGE S. WINGERT. 

